Happy birthday Jimmy! 

anyways, new chapter lol.

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Oh, that stupid sand witch! I storm back to the forest, muttering curses under my breath. how dare she! After everything he did to her, she still defends him. I knew she wasn't the smartest witch, but really? the evil necromancer? 

I find my broom and take off, heading towards my home. flying through the air, I thought back to what she said. did she really think I was that much of a terrible person? do I think that? am I just a terrible person and witch? it was then I reached my house. I landed my broom and ran inside up the stairs to my room, throwing myself on my bed.

it's almost like when I was kicked out of the Frost Kingdom. my parents weren't exactly supportive, but they helped me hide my fire magic. I still don't know how I developed fire magic, I just assume it was either a freak thing or my mom made out with a fire witch. it doesn't matter. I still blew up at my parents for not letting me date a guy and almost caused our house to burn down. I was still exiled for having fire powers in a kingdom of frost witches. it's not like my parents cared. not when I was a child and lit the fireplace with my bare hands, not when I had my first kiss...

not when the guards dragged me out while I was sobbing and screaming for them to help me.

maybe that's why I wanted to win. not because I wanted to be accepted back, but because I wanted to prove to myself that I didn't need anyone. maybe that's why I made enemies with pris and Scott, why I pushed lauren off that cliff, why I did everything I could to not get attached to people, because I didn't want my heart to crack more than it already has.

I roll over on my back, now feeling the tears running down my face. I wipe them up quickly before they freeze. I wish lauren was here. she may have been loud, she may have been weak, she may have been annoying, but she listened. She cared. only, did she? I wouldn't. She called me a two-faced liar, of course she doesn't trust or care about me anymore. maybe I should forget about her. if she wanted to run off and go be friends with the evil witch, so be it. but I won't lie, it hurts a little. no, a lot.

maybe a walk would help, I thought. yeah, a walk would be good. descending, I open my door and step into the crisp evening air. I wandered over to my old starter house, the one I made when I first came here. I walked past it towards the orange-leafed trees. entering the maze of trees, I took a deep breath. it always smelled like apples here. I don't know why but it's oddly comforting. it reminds me of the candied apples I always got for Christmas when I was little.

I continued through the woods, stopping here and there to admire some flowers. after I meet Tiff, she gave me a book about magical flowers and it was surprisingly interesting. I recognized a couple now. there was mandrake, foxglove, pink roses, wither roses, nightshade...

I squinted at the last one. that shouldn't be here I thought, kneeling beside the purple-flowered plant. they only live in dark environments. maybe I should-

all of a sudden I felt a sting in my neck. I wince, putting my hand to my neck to shoo away whatever bug bit me, to feel a feathery thing in my neck.

with a dawning feeling of dread, I pull the object out of my neck. holding it up, my eyes widen. 

In my hand was a green-tipped dart.

I scramble to my feet, only to immediately fall to the ground. I reach towards a tree to pull myself up, but my arm feels too heavy. my arm flopping to the ground, I pass out.

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slowly, my eyes open. what in the living hell happened?

with a jolt, I sit up. which ended up being a big mistake because my head felt like it had a knife driven through it. I remember walking through the woods, getting pricked with what I'm guessing is a sleeping dart, and passing out. crap.

finally resisting the red bed I'm sitting on, I look around at my surroundings. I was in a small room, with barely enough room for a bed and a small table. said table had a lantern sitting on it with a weak flicking light. the walls and floor were made of stone except for a wall of iron bars. that looked out into a room with more of these little rooms.

I'm in a dungeon.

great.

with a glance at the cell in front of me, I notice another light illuminating a silhouette of a person with a witch hat, which was way too big on their head. the person turned their head to me, letting the light cast over their features.

no.

"Joey?" lauren scrambled to her feet, grasping the bars of the cell. "oh god, they got you too?" with the light clearly lighting her up now, I took in her form. her dress was torn, and were those bruises on her neck?

"lauren," I started. "what is this place? I don't know," the short woman responded. "but I was out by Scotts house and-"

"oh scotts house? of course you were." I scoffed, remembering the argument earlier. "what, did your precious best friend leave you?" I look over at lauren to see an expression of shame. I let out a hollow laugh. "oh shit," pulling myself up. "he actually left you. what, did he finally show you his true colors? you know, it's almost like, I told you so." I grin.

"well at least he didn't gaslight me." she retorted. "I'll take the curses over you."

"Well, either way, we're both stuck until someone helps sooooo," I lay back down. "I'm gonna have to tolerate you for now."

it was silent for a couple of seconds before lauren spoke up. "soo, seen any good movies lately or..?"

I just scoffed and we settle into an awkward silence.

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welp, now joeys kidnapped.

and he and lauren are fighting.

sorry.

but don't worry.

they won't be alone for long.

:)

-Milly